Jarrett Porter
By Martha Baker, Apprentice Watch Editor
Profiled as a promising young artist in the June 2020 issue of Opera News, Jarrett Porter made it clear that the career he is pursuing has long been his destiny. He wrote, “Even as a freshman [at The Eastman School] I knew that I wanted to sing opera.”
The dream is coming true. Jarrett Porter, a baritone, starred opposite Susanna Phillips in Opera Theatre St. Louis’ (OTSL) world premiere of Awakenings, a new work by Tobias Picker. Of his performance, one reviewer raved, “The central figure of Dr. Oliver Sacks was well-served by baritone Jarrett Porter. His suave, attractive vocal production is put in complete service to accomplishing this very Big Sing. Mr. Porter is lanky and appealing, and his truthfulness, thorough preparation and suitability for the assignment are always apparent.” He will reprise this role with Odyssey Opera in Boston in February 2023.
Mr. Porter has recently joined Oper Frankfurt’s prestigious Studio. While singing at Oper Frankfurt he will share the stage with fellow Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Singer alumni Anthony Robin Schneider and Erik Van Heyningen. (See adjacent profiles.) As a member of the Oper Frankfurt company, he will sing roles in Capriccio, Tamerlano, Blühen, The Burning Fiery Furnace/The Prodigal Son, and Le vin herbé. His busy schedule in 2023 includes serving as an Artist in Residence of Marlboro Music where he will collaborate with Mitsuko Uchica, Jonathan Biss, and Lydia Brown.
Mr. Porter has a special interest in new music. In addition to Tobias Picker, he has worked with composers Philip Glass, Mark Adamo, Steve Mackey, Damien Sneed, Amelia Brey, Jake Heggie, and Kristin Kuster. He premiered principal roles in OTSL’s productions of Moon Tea and The Tongue & The Lash.
An Apprentice Singer with the Santa Fe Opera in 2018 and 2019, his impressive resume includes the Marion Roose Pullin Studio with Opera Arizona, and positions as a young artist with The Glimmerglass Festival and Opera Saratoga. After graduating from the Eastman School of Music, this New Jersey native received his Master of Music as a Schwabacher Fellow from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music as well as an Artist Diploma from The Juilliard School. Awards include a grant from the Gerda Lissner Song Competition, winner of the 2019 Sullivan Foundation competition, the Ellie Silver Award in 2018, and the 2017 Grand Prize Winner of the Pacific Music Society Competition. Here is a LINK to his website. He is represented by IMG Artists.